Insert Title Here (aka Starting Anew)
by TonyStarkFan
Summary: Tony Stark's always been a bit of a jerk. But he's never lied to the one he loves the most. Pepper Potts. What happens to their relationship when he does? And how will a newly adopted child change anything? (Note: This takes place after Iron Man 3.)
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avengers or any company.**

**I actually wrote this for National Novel Writing Month. I hope you enjoy!**

Prologue

What? Don't look at me like that. I dare _you _to write a book about the past few years of your life and give it a title. It's a lot harder than it looks. I probably sat in this chair for a good ten minutes brainstorming before J.A.R.V.I.S. asked me if I was still awake.

Who's J.A.R.V.I.S? He's my artificial intelligence. AI for short. Sometimes I'm tempted to change the abbreviation to SAI. _Sarcastic _artificial intelligence.

Who am I, you ask? The name's Stark. Tony Stark. Does that ring a bell? What about Iron Man? Ah, I see that spark of recognition in your eyes. He would be alias.

I'm sure you're all wondering what happened to me after I eliminated the Mandarin. Okay, so I guess Pepper is the one that got rid of Killian, but that's beside the point. _Yes, _I got the Extremis out of Pepper's system, and _yes, _we lived happily ever after. Or we would have if such a thing existed.

Oh, don't worry. I've had a plethora of happy, touchy-feely points in my life that I'm sure you'll enjoy. Either that or you'll be like me and wonder why I'm making a Hallmark commercial.

For all you battle hungry fans out there, I've had a few of those experiences, too. My life has just been one huge roller coaster hill after another, but I digress.

Have I activated your curiosity yet? Good. That's what I was aiming for. By now I'm sure you're rolling your eyes and silently screaming at me to get on with it. Well, take a deep breath and relax because I'm about to do just that.

I think I'll start with...my wedding day.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

_"Sir, I must remind you that you have prior engagements elsewhere. Ms. Potts is-"_

"Just a minute, J.A.R.V.I.S. This is a critical part in the planning process."

I frowned in concentration as I peered at the screen hovering in front of me. I broke into a grin as I put the last square in place.

"Triple word score. In your face, Cap!"

_"I don't believe playing _Words With Friends_ with Captain Rogers is a wise way of spending your free time."_

"Relax, J.A.R.V.I.S. I was just taking a quick break."

I swiped my hand to brush away the electronic Scrabble board before looking back down at my desk.

As I studied the armor schematics, a sinking feeling of guilt settled in my stomach. I'd been getting that a lot lately. It had started when I began building the Mark 43. Or as I liked to call it: the Anew armor. (Get it? Because I was _starting anew_? Nobody?) Maybe it was because I hadn't told Pepper yet. After all, the whole reason I had initiated the Clean Slate Protocol in the first place was to spend more time with her. Except I'd overlooked one tiny detail when I had done that.

I am Iron Man. What that basically means is, I can't go without wearing a suit for long. Trust me, I'd tried. I was the mechanic. I tinkered to pass the time. Without that, who was I?

I'd been good about staying away from the blueprint archives. That was before I'd become bored out of my mind. you can only fix Dummy so many times.

_"Sir, I really must ensure that you get going."_

"Going," I repeated, blinking in confusion. "Going where?"

_"Your wedding. You're already half an hour late."_

"Oh, shoot!" I exclaimed as I leapt to my feet. "I knew I was forgetting something."

I sprinted out of the workshop and didn't bother taking the elevator as I ascended the stairs three at a time. That's what I got for being a scatterbrained genius with too much time on his hands. I mean, who forgets his own wedding? Me, apparently.

Lucky for me, I'd put on a tux too many times to count, so that didn't take long. I didn't pay much attention as I climbed into the closest car in my garage. Good thing they were all cool. I stepped on the gas and sped away, hoping the cops wouldn't stop me.

I felt like the rabbit from _Alice in Wonderland _as I dashed into the chapel muttering: "I'm late. I'm late. I'm late."

I didn't get around to the: "for a very important date" part before running into my fiancé (soon to be wife) in the hall.

"Tony! There you are. Did J.A.R.V.I.S. not bug you enough?"

I cringed apologetically. She didn't _sound _very angry, but I knew she was seething inside. "Sorry, Pepper. It won't happen again."

Pepper just shook her head and smiled. "Don't make promises you can't keep."

Okay, I guess I couldn't blame her for that comment. She was probably right, anyway. I was rarely on time for anything, really.

"Now, get in there," Pepper prodded, nudging me toward the large mahogany double doors that were wide open.

I gulped. Don't get me wrong. I wasn't usually the type to get nervous, but making a lifelong commitment like marriage? I figured that was enough to make anyone a little anxious. Oh, well. Too late now.

It didn't help that nearly all the press in the southern half of California were there. At least we were in Malibu and not, say, New York City.

"What are you waiting for?" Pepper whispered from behind me and I realized I hadn't moved due to being lost in thought. Oops.

I could hear members of the audience muttering amongst themselves about waiting and impatience as I strode down the aisle. I tried not to squint as the photographers snapped pictures, the white flash of their cameras nearly blinding me. At least I was used to it.

I almost breathed a sigh of relief when I reached the front of the sanctuary. The hard part was over.

That was when the bridal march music began to play.

I'd seen Pepper out in the hall, but the light had been dim and I had been too distracted to take notice of how she looked. As she, too, walked down the aisle, my breath was nearly taken away.

She was absolutely gorgeous. Her white gown was flowing near her feet like the ocean's waves on a calm day. Her veil was rather short and I smiled to myself. That was my Pepper. She'd always hated wearing head accessories. The major thing that made her truly beautiful, however, was how her cerulean blue eyes shone with joy. Not to mention the bright smile she had saved just for me which caused me to feel warm from the inside out.

In all honesty, I wasn't really listening to what the minister was saying. I only had eyes for Pepper. It appeared to be the same way for her as she took my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

I guess I must have said: "I do" at the appropriate time because before I knew it, Pepper had said those same words and the minister pronounced us husband and wife.

As soon as he told me to kiss the bride, I did just that. I wrapped my arms around Pepper and kissed her deeply. Of course she did the same just as passionately. I ignored the cheering that erupted, but Pepper didn't as she pulled away, laughing.

"Look where we ended up, boss," she said with an amused smile. "I never could have imagined going from your secretary to your wife in a matter of years."

"Uh, technically I'm not your boss anymore. You're the CEO, remember?" I pointed out before I offered a smile that matched hers. "But you're right. They've been a great few years, haven't they?"

She nodded and leaned in to kiss me again. Oh, I could get used to this.

"What do you say we head to the reception?" Pepper asked when she had finished.

I was tempted to say: "Forget the reception. Kiss me again," but it seemed as if the crowd was getting restless.

So, with something like a reluctant nod, I led her out of the room and down to the Gathering. Otherwise known as the lobby. You know, if this was a hotel. Never mind.

When I'd first chosen Malibu Presbyterian Church, Pepper had asked me if it was necessary to have so much space. I'd told her that there was no such thing as too big with Tony Stark. Plus, it was obvious that I had made the right decision considering how many people had shown up.

* * *

Now, I would tell you all about the reception if there was much to tell. I don't actually remember most of it. You should ask Pepper. I guarantee she can fill you in on every single juicy detail there is.

You're probably ready to get on with the story to the intense battle scenes and whatnot. Well, I'm afraid you're going to have to wait a while for that.

In the mean time, why don't I move on to something a little more thrilling? It's not punch, kick, and shoot the enemy thrilling, but it's pretty exciting if I do say so myself.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_"Mrs. Stark is approaching. I suggest you inform her of-"_

"Mute," I interrupted J.A.R.V.I.S. before Pepper could hear.

No matter how many times my AI tried to convince me to confide in Pepper about the Anew armor, I wouldn't give in. I just wasn't ready yet. For all I knew, no one would ever see the Mark 43 in action, anyway.

I glanced over my shoulder apprehensively as I did my best to hide any evidence of my work.

"Tony? You in here?"

Thank goodness for big basements. If it had been any smaller I would have been discovered.

"Back here!" I called to Pepper, the sight of her causing that guilty feeling to come back. It just seemed to be getting worse.

"What are you doing down here by yourself?" she asked, a hint of uncertainty in her gaze.

"Oh, you know. Just putting some old junk away," I lied, the guilt now a sharp pang. It scared me how easily the fib had come out.

"Well, I made lunch. Why don't you come on up?" Pepper suggested, even as she turned and started for the door. It looked as if she'd believed my lie. Why wouldn't she? I'd never directly lied to her face.

That thought made the small flash of guilt grow into a minor explosion and I inwardly cringed.

"Got it. I'll be right there."

As Pepper left, I sighed and plopped into my chair, running a hand through my hair. I needed to stop this before the pain became unbearable.

I figured it was best not to keep Pepper waiting and I got to my feet, heading upstairs.

No amount of IQ points could have prepared me for the bomb my wife dropped on me at the dining table.

"I think we should consider adopting a child."

I inhaled sharply. Unfortunately, I'd been drinking water at the time. I started coughing uncontrollably, my eyes tearing up.

"Tony, are you okay?" Pepper asked, concern clearly showing in her gaze.

I nodded, thumping my chest in an attempt to clear it. "Adopt?" I croaked finally, shock breaking through. We'd only been married for (I did a quick calculation in my head) 4.53 weeks. Yeah, I know it's a bit specific. It's not my fault I have a thing for numbers.

"I thought it seemed like a nice idea," she admitted meekly.

"But...why?" I couldn't help how incredulous I sounded. It wasn't the suggestion that upset me. It was that it almost seemed like I wasn't enough for her.

"Anthony Edward Stark," Pepper scolded, crossing her arms defiantly. "Why _not_? We have so much to give. Money, a big house with plenty of room for another occupant, and love. There are dozens of children out there that would give anything for _half _of that."

Now it was my turn to look meek. She had a point. I actually felt a little ashamed at how selfish I had sounded. Boy, would the other Avengers get a kick out of that.

"What brought this on?" I risk inquiring, genuinely curious.

"I'd considered bringing a child to live with us before we got married," Pepper explained. "Except I didn't want to ask you because...well, because I thought I'd get a reaction like the one you just gave me, but worse."

"Oh..." I managed as my brain whirled at a hundred miles an hour. What did I _really _think of the idea? Other than Pepper having a suitable argument for the cause. How would I handle a son or daughter? I didn't particularly think of myself as much of a father figure.

Pepper leaned across the table and clasped my hand in hers. "I think you'd make a wonderful dad, Tony. If you just gave it a chance, I _know _you would."

There she went reading my mind. Sometimes I wondered how she did that.

"Which orphanage were you thinking?" I submitted.

Pepper beamed, glad I had given in. "The Malibu Valley Shelter for Homeless Kids."

I made a mental note to ask J.A.R.V.I.S. about the place later when I realized Pepper was still talking.

"Uh, what?" I put on my best sheepish look, and let me tell you it wasn't easy. I'm not usually one to be sheepish.

She let out an exasperated sigh that stirred her ginger-red bangs. "I was saying, I think we should go now."

I couldn't help it as my eyebrows shot up. I would have argued had Pepper not given me a look to shut me up.

"On second thought, now sounds good. I like now," I said quickly.

She smiled knowingly and I chanced sticking my tongue out at her which earned me a laugh.

I smiled in return. "Shall we go, then?"

* * *

The Malibu Valley Shelter for Homeless Kids wasn't much to look at. It was a rundown two story building that seemed to sigh in the way the roof sagged. On the bright side, not every single wooden board that made up the structure was rotted. It looked like the termites had done a number on the place.

"You sure you want to adopt a child from here?" I asked Pepper skeptically as I clambered out of the car.

She wasn't far behind. "Of course."

With a shrug, I mounted the half a dozen concrete steps that led to the porch and held the door open. My ears protested at the creaking sound that accompanied it.

"Someone needs to oil those hinges," I muttered as the door swung shut behind us.

"Tony, be quiet and show some manners, okay?" Pepper berated with a stern look.

I sighed and nodded my agreement.

"Can I help you?" an elderly lady who looked as if she was in her late seventies asked us, her blue eyes kind and a warm smile on her face.

"Yes, we're interested in adopting," Pepper said, her smile mirroring the women's.

The lady's eyes lit up as she beamed. "That's wonderful! My name is Cathy White. It's so nice to meet you."

Pepper elbowed me. "Oh, right. I'm Tony Stark and this is my wife Pepper."

"Tony Stark...Why does that sound familiar? It'll come to me later. Do you have a specific preference?" Cathy queried as she went over to her desk and opened a drawer. It didn't look like she had too many files in there.

I glanced at Pepper as we sat down in a couple of the chairs as if to say: "Be my guest."

"I was hoping for a little girl in the three to five-year-old category."

So, it looked like I was getting a daughter. That's what I got for leaving the decision up to my wife.

"Oh." Cathy's tone was uncertain. "We only have one girl that fits that description, but she's...well, I believe she's mentally unstable."

"What do you mean?" That was me.

I leaned forward in the chair, not being able to keep the concern from showing. Mentally challenged I could understand, but in a girl that young?

"Genevieve. She's only four, and yet she claims to see a ghost."

"Ghosts?" Concern was showing through Pepper, too.

Cathy shook her head in contradiction. "No. _A _ghost. Singular."

Now, being a superhero I had seen my fair share of villains. A ghost didn't seem all that preposterous to me.

Maybe that was why I asked: "Do you happen to know what this ghost might look like?"

Cathy looked confused as if she thought I was out of my mind for asking a question like that. "Um, yes. Genevieve has told me it's a man. He has long black hair, blue eyes, and he wears the oddest of outfits."

I could already feel dread sinking in me. "Odd?"

"Yes. He wears a long green cape and a helmet that looks like reindeer horns. That's all the detail she's given."

My gaze met Pepper's and I saw my alarm reflected in her eyes. I knew we were thinking the same thing.

Loki. I didn't know how he could possibly be on Earth again, or why he'd be tormenting an innocent little girl, but I did know one thing.

"Can we meet Genevieve?" I asked after an encouraging nod from Pepper.

"I suppose." Cathy seemed surprised.

She left the room and I could hear her calling for Genevieve Charlotte. Apparently, that was the girl's middle name. Or so I assumed.

"What are we going to do about this, Tony?" Pepper asked in a low voice. "It sounds like this 'ghost' is a lot like Loki."

"I know," I murmured back. "I think we should-"

I didn't get to finish the sentence for that was when Cathy entered with the girl in tow.

Her teal eyes sparkled with excitement as the prospect of a family wanting to meet her. She had golden hair styled in ringlets, most likely natural. I had to notice how her clothes were one size too big, and they were ragged.

I glanced over at Pepper who had sympathetic tears shining in her eyes. She quickly blinked them away.

"Genevieve, this is Mr. and Mrs. Stark. They wanted to meet you," Cathy said, shepherding the girl toward us.

Genevieve blinked up at us, some of the previous excitement being replaced with shyness. She offered a small wave. "Hi."

"Hi, Genevieve," Pepper greeted warmly, getting out of her chair and crouching down to the child's level. "I'm Pepper. And this is Tony."

When she gestured to me I attempted a welcoming smile that probably looked more like a grimace. Boy, I needed to work on my reaction to little kids.

"Why do you want to meet me?" Genevieve asked, cocking her head curiously. Fear filled her eyes. "Do you talk with my ghost?"

"No! No, sweetie, we don't," Pepper reassured her with a comforting smile. "We were considering taking you home with us."

When my wife turned that pleading look on me there was no way I could deny the implied question. Besides, I sincerely doubted Genevieve would find a home anytime soon if we didn't take her.

I nodded at the girl. "Yeah. Would you like that?"

Genevieve's eyes sparked with hope. She nodded so vigorously that I thought her head would pop off her shoulders.

"Then it's settled. Ms. White? What papers do we need to sign?"

While Cathy gave me the desired forms I overheard Pepper telling Genevieve to go get her belongings. It didn't take as long as I thought it would have. Maybe because this orphanage wasn't as...state of the art as other ones I knew of. By the time I had filled out the documents she was ready to go.

"Is that all you have?" I inquired, gesturing to the one item she was holding.

She nodded once again and held her toy close. It looked like a stuffed rabbit. I guessed from the way one of its button eyes was missing and how it was a faded cream color that the bunny had seen better days.

She clung to Pepper's hand with her free one as we said our goodbyes to Cathy and left the building.

* * *

Well, there you go. It looks like I have a daughter now, huh? Genevieve Charlotte Stark. It has a nice ring to it. Getting used to having Gen around was tough. Trust me on this one. It was especially hard when Pepper and I brought her home for the first time.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The first thing Genevieve said upon us reaching home was: "Wow! Big house!"

"Yeah, well, it comes from being a billionaire genius," I said casually.

"What's...what's a billy...billy air," she struggled to say, obviously frustrated.

"Billionaire genius," I stated again.

"What Tony means to say is a rich, smart person," Pepper put in, shooting me a look that said: "Try to tone down the vocabulary."

I shrugged, inwardly annoyed. Great. Now I had to talk like a normal person? Those words weren't even that hard!

As it turned out, Genevieve looked as if she'd completely forgotten her predicament as she skipped up the path toward the house.

"Gosh, she's fast," I muttered as I took long strides to catch up.

"At least we have something to keep us on our toes," Pepper pointed out, her pace matching mine. "Wait up, Genevieve!"

The girl stopped before she went inside and turned to face us, bouncing up and down. "You're slow," she giggled.

"Ha ha. Hilarious," I said, my voice dripping sarcasm.

Genevieve looked perturbed at my change of tone and I mentally smacked myself when Pepper nudged me.

"Let's just go in," I said as the double glass doors opened automatically.

Genevieve's eyes widened in surprise. That wasn't too ridiculous considering the place she had lived in before. She'd probably never seen an automatic _anything _in her life.

J.A.R.V.I.S. scanned her as she went inside like he does to everyone. She watched the line of light run her up and down with fascination.

_"I see your visit to the orphanage was a success."_

Genevieve squealed in fright when my AI spoke and she darted behind Pepper's legs to hide. After a mere second, she peeked out, curious.

"It's okay," Pepper soothed, crouching down to pick her up. "That's just J.A.R.V.I.S."

Genevieve wrapped her arms around Pepper's neck and peered at me over her shoulder. "Who's J.A.R.V.I.S?"

"He's my AI." At the confused look I sighed. "My artificial intelligence." More confusion. "My...computer."

"Oh! But...how does he talk?"

I could have gone into a tangent about technology and voice chips, but I decided against it and said: "He's smart."

That was an understandable answer, apparently, because she nodded. When Pepper put her down, Genevieve looked around as if she was trying to spot J.A.R.V.I.S. She finally decided on talking to the wall.

"I'm Genevieve Charlotte," she said with a proud nod.

_"Well, I must say it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Genevieve."_

I would have gladly left Genevieve happily chatting with J.A.R.V.I.S. had Pepper not prodded me in a way of saying it was time to get on with it.

I was about to say something about taking a tour when the look in Genevieve's eyes became vacant.

Pepper and I exchanged worried glances as she began to speak.

"No, leave me alone! I like it here...No! I _hate _you!"

She obviously wasn't talking to us and I moved forward to crouch in front of her. "Genevieve, can you hear me?"

"Leave me alone! I like Pepper and Tony...Yes, but you're mean."

"Genevieve," I repeated, sharper this time as I put my hands on her emaciated shoulders. We had to get this kid something to eat.

The touch snapped her out of it and she looked up at me as tears caused her teal eyes to turn a dark blue. To my surprise, she stepped toward me and threw her arms around my neck, sobbing into my shoulder.

I awkwardly patted her back and shot Pepper a look of sheer panic. In all honesty, I had no idea what to do.

Pepper picked up on my uneasiness and came over to stroke Genevieve's hair. "Come here, sweetie. Let go of Tony."

She shook her head at the suggestion and clung to me tighter. At this rate, I'd be choking in no time flat.

Pepper tried a different approach. "Are you hungry? I can make you something to eat."

That worked. Genevieve released me from her clutches and ran into Pepper's arms who scooped her up.

I resisted the urge to rub my neck as Pepper told me to go get a room ready for Genevieve. She recommended number C12 which just so happened to be two rooms away from us.

When I opened the door to the area that had been indicated, I realized my wife must have already been planning on adopting a girl. Why else would the whole place be mostly pink and purple?

The queen bed was made up with a frilly pink bedspread with a magenta bed skirt to compliment it. There was a...well, the best word to describe the rainbow rug was shaggy. The curtains on the large window that ran from the ceiling to the floor were also decorated with the colors of the rainbow.

All of it made me want to gag, but I supposed Genevieve would probably enjoy it. Although I had to admit that I was curious as to why Pepper had sent me up her in the first place. It was obviously already prepared for an owner. The answer came to me in the form of the little girl herself. Pepper must have wanted me to spend more time with our new daughter. Figures.

"Will you read to me?"

I nearly jumped out of my skin as Genevieve spoke behind me. She'd been so quiet that I hadn't heard her sneak in.

"What?

"Will you _read _to me?" she repeated emphatically, pointing at the small wooden bookshelf in the far corner of the room.

"I, uh, where's Pepper?" I stammered, eyes darting to the door as if I was a caged animal.

"She's cleaning up," Genevieve answered, having gone over to the cabinet to find a book. "Read this one."

I reluctantly took the object from her and read the title out loud. "_If You Give A Pig A Pancake. _Huh. Sounds delicious. Bacon _and _pancakes all in one sitting."

She giggled. "No, silly. The pig _eats _the pancake."

I found myself chuckling, her laugh contagious. "Oh, right. I guess that makes more sense."

"Come on," Genevieve insisted.

Before I could protest, she grabbed my hand and dragged me over to her bed. I had no choice but to get situated comfortably, leaning against the bed frame.

She crawled across the mattress and sat next to me, gazing over my shoulder at the pictures.

I felt slightly ridiculous reading about the pig wanting syrup to go with her pancake and tap dancing with the shoes she found under the bed. Not to mention building a tree house. How did a pig do that with hooves in place of fingers, anyway?

By the time I had finished reading the story, Genevieve was yawning sleepily, her head nodding against my shoulder. A glance at the clock showed it was 8:23 p.m.

"Okay, kiddo, time for bed," I announced as I got up.

I would have suggested she changed into her sleep clothes, but she had already snuggled down underneath the covers. I was about to leave the room when she stopped me.

"Wait!"

I paused. "What now?"

"You didn't tuck me in and kiss me goodnight. Ms. Cathy always did."

I thought about pointing out that she had tucked herself in, but decided it wasn't worth it. As for the kiss? Yikes. Apparently, she didn't find it as absurd as I did, but with the way she was looking at me I couldn't exactly say no.

With a sigh, I strolled back over to her bedside and bent over, giving her a quick peck on the forehead.

"Satisfied?" I asked somewhat sarcastically.

"Uh huh." She seemed content as she closed her eyes.

"Goodnight, Genevieve."

I went back to the exit and flicked the lights off before silently shutting the door behind me.

* * *

Yes, I'm sure you're inwardly making fun of what a softie I'm turning out to be. Well, guess what? Having to take care of a four-year-old girl kind of does that to you. I thought that dealing with Genevieve's...state of mind was as difficult as it was going to get, but boy was I wrong.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I massaged my temples and blew out a sigh. The Anew armor wasn't cooperating. You would think after 42 proceeding designs I'd have this constructing thing down. After all, I had all the proper schematics. So why was I having this much trouble?

A tiny voice in my head said that guilt got in the way of my thought process. It was probably right. Except Pepper was away at work, so what was there to hide? Nothing. Nothing at all.

For some reason, the pain in my gut didn't want to believe that.

"J.A.R.V.I.S, would you mind analyzing this stomachache?" I asked breathlessly, leaning against a desk for support.

After a few moments he answered. _"From what I can deduce, your mind is in a state of feeling blameworthy for your actions in keeping a secret from Mrs. Stark. It is creating the physical pain. Possibly in a way to get you to cease."_

"Uh huh. Tell you what. I'll just pop in an Advil and get back to work," I said stubbornly, heading upstairs to the medicine cabinet.

When I got back down to the workshop, one of my cars was on fire.

"What the-" I broke off and rushed over to the wall where I kept the fire extinguisher. Now, usually I left the job of dousing flames to Dummy, but the robot was currently shut off. In hindsight, that probably wasn't the wisest decision on my part.

My breathing was uneven from the hecticness of the moment after I had put out the fire. Talk about a close call. Now if I could only figure out what had started the blaze.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!"

I turned to face Genevieve who was peeking out from behind the counter, an armor gauntlet in hand.

"What did you do?" I demanded, raising my voice in anger. "You could have killed us! Why would you do something so stupid?"

"I just wanted to know what this did," she said quietly, fear of my rebuke in her eyes.

"Well, it does that! It's a weapon to hurt bad people. Are you happy now?"

"I'm sorry..."

"Sorry isn't good enough. You could have brought the whole house down right on top of us!" I snatched the glove from her hand with a glare.

Tears began to spill down her cheeks. "Do you hate me like my other daddy did?"

Before I could answer she continued. "My ghost was right. You'll never love me."

She fled from the room, sobbing.

I could only stand there and blink in astonishment. I hadn't been expecting that. I didn't know anything about Genevieve's past because neither had the orphanage. One thing was obvious though. She used to have a family that, apparently, hadn't wanted her. Not to mention Loki had been telling her I didn't love her. Which, to be honest, wasn't entirely inaccurate.

"Genevieve, wait!" I called eventually, jogging in the direction she had disappeared in.

She was fast. _Wicked _fast. I couldn't hear or see her as I stepped outside, head swiveling to look up the staircase to my left. Taking the steps two at a time, I didn't see her in the living area.

Now, I wouldn't have normally been worried, but a quick pass by her room proved she wasn't there either. I knew Pepper would kill me if she came home to find out I'd lost Genevieve. Never had I regretted owning a mansion before. Why did it have to be so dang large?

I hadn't realized I had broken into a sprint until I skidded to a halt outside the entryway.

"Let me out!"

_"I'm afraid I can't do that, miss."_

I'd found Genevieve pounding on the doors with her tiny hands balled into fists.

I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness for J.A.R.V.I.S. If it hadn't been for him, she would have surely escaped.

I started toward her, but froze when she shook her head fiercely.

"No, stay away from me. I want to go home!"

"You are home," I said as gently as I could manage.

"No! I want to go back to Ms. Cathy and all my friends."

I lowered myself to her level and sat on the floor with my legs crossed. I didn't know exactly what I was going to say in order to make things right, but I knew I had to try.

"Come here." I patted the tile next to me. "Sit down."

Distrust flickered in Genevieve's eyes and she shook her head again, remaining where she was.

"Listen, Genevieve," I started seriously, not giving any hints that I was joking. I didn't want her to think I was. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. But you scared me."

Bewilderment filled her eyes. "You were...scared?"

The shock was evident in her voice and I chuckled. "Yeah. Everyone gets frightened sometimes."

She'd slowly started inching toward me as I spoke. "Even you?"

I held up my right hand solemnly. "Even me. I swear."

Her eyebrows knit together in a frown as she tried to comprehend what I was telling her. "You were so...mad."

"Well, yes," I said slowly, contemplating how to continue. "That was only to hide my fear. I was afraid you'd gotten hurt."

She'd gotten close enough for me to reach out for her, but I waited, biding my time.

"Genevieve, did you live with someone before Ms. Cathy?" I asked, remembering what she'd said earlier about her old father.

She nodded hesitantly. "Yes. But Daddy left me."

"What do you mean?"

"In the morning. He was gone."

My mind tried to grasp the concept, fitting the pieces of the puzzle together. From what I could tell, Genevieve used to live with her dad. He'd hated her and must have left, but possibly for other reasons than just his daughter. Whatever the case, she was here now and under my care.

"You don't have to worry about that now," I promised. "I won't leave you."

Genevieve's frown turned upside down, so to speak. Her grin lit up her entire visage and I couldn't help but smile myself.

This time, the embrace wasn't out of sheer terror, so it was much more relenting on my neck. Plus, it helped that I was more accepting.

I hugged her in return, smoothing down her unruly gold curls. The part of me that was embarrassed by the sign of affection was silenced by the part that was basking in the glow of warmth.

* * *

Yes, it looks like I'm capable of showing love to someone besides myself. Amazing, right? Genevieve certainly seems like a handful doesn't she? You've got to love that kid though. I was finding it impossible to resist those bouncy ringlets and shining teal eyes.

So, I sorted out everything with my new daughter. That doesn't mean I was on even terms with Pepper. I still hadn't told her about the Anew armor. As it turned out, I wasn't going to have to.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

I punched in the code to get into my workshop and passed through the door, glancing over my shoulder as I went. I knew Pepper wasn't home, but you could never be too careful.

My gaze fell on the now charred car in the corner and I smiled wryly. "At least we know one of the gauntlets is working."

_"Ah, yes," _J.A.R.V.I.S. answered. _"That's what you get out of a near cataclysmic experience."_

"Shut up, J," I said mock insultingly. It was amusing how I joked around with my AI. I'd had some of my best conversations with him. "Now, where was I..."

_"I believe you were about to begin on the left boot, sir."_

"Right. I knew that."

I carefully picked my way across the room to the table with my current accessory to my armor on it. Why did I have to be cautious? Maybe because the place was a wreck. It always got like that when I converted to work mode.

Losing track of time was a dangerous action on my part, and I learned that fact firsthand.

"Tony? What...what are you doing?"

I shot up straight from my position of bending over the desk and cracked my head against the overhead light. "Ow! Um...Pepper! Hey, honey. You're home early."

"It's seven thirty."

"Is it?" A quick glance at the clock proved it was. "Oh, well, would you look at that. The time must have gotten away from me."

"What is all this? Have you been...creating armor?"

I cringed, knowing the guilt was written all over my face. That feeling was back again and this time it was so intense that I felt like I was going to be sick. "Look, honey. I-"

"Save the stupid excuse, Tony," Pepper snapped, her eyes blazing angry fire. "How long have you been doing this?"

I shrunk away from her, running an anxious hand through my hair. "Two months."

At the barely audible words, Pepper put her hands on her hips. "You've been working behind my back for two months?"

"I-"

"How could you do this to me?" she demanded, voice getting louder with each heart-wrenching word. "Tony, I'm your wife."

"I know, I know. But if you'd just listen to me," I pleaded.

"Fine." Pepper crossed her arms. "I'm all ears."

I blinked. Okay? I hadn't been expecting her to actually _agree. _What was I saying? Right. Excuses.

"I need my Iron Man armor. I just hadn't told you because I didn't want to disappoint you."

Oops. That was the wrong thing to say. Rage overcame her cerulean blue eyes again, turning them a dark and stormy grey.

"Disappoint me? _Disappoint _me?! What do you think you're doing right now! You know what you are?"

"No." I sighed, preparing myself for the verbal onslaught. "But I'm assuming you're going to tell me."

"Don't try to joke your way out of this, Tony. What you are is a jerk. I can't believe I ever thought you would give up your precious Iron Man to be with me. I guess the whole 'Clean Slate Protocol' was all a huge lie, too. After all, you've been lying to my face for a month."

Each word was like a knife in my chest. What made it all even worse was the fact that she was right. She was all too right.

"Listen, Pepper. I'm sorry. I should have told you from the start, but I just wanted to-"

"Keep me safe?" she interrupted. "If I still had the Extremis you wouldn't have to worry your self-centered little head about it."

"What?" I questioned, astonished. Did she just say what I thought she said? Did she really regret removing the Extremis?

"You heard me, Tony. You think that I'm helpless and need your protection. Well, with the Extremis I didn't. Need I remind you that _I'm _the one that destroyed Killian. Not you. I never could have done that before."

What truly terrified me was how serious she sounded. It was as if she was considering going back to her explosive (literally) self.

"Pepper, you can't-"

"Why not?" she cut in again. "My body accepted the Extremis the first time. What would stop it from allowing it the second time?"

"You can't be serious. Pepper, that could be suicide!" I told her desperately, scared for her life.

"Not any more so than living with you."

My eyes widened at the insult and I took a step back. The uncertainty only seemed to influence Pepper's tirade.

"Villains aren't uncommon in your life. One of these days, there will be a time when you're not around to defend me. What would stop them from eliminating me?"

"Extremis isn't the answer," I insisted. "You have to trust me. I-"

She barked a laugh. "Trust you? After the trick with the armor you just pulled on me?"

I had a sneaking suspicion at what was coming next and my heart sank.

"I've put up with you for years. I fell in love with you for heaven's sake! We got married! But this is where we reach the end of the line."

"Pepper, please," I begged.

"No. We're done, Tony. That's it. There's plenty of room at Stark Tower for me to live."

"All the way in Manhattan?" My heart had officially reached its breaking point. I could feel it tearing.

"Yes. Take care of Genevieve." A hint of doubt and regret flickered in her eyes, but it disappeared almost immediately. "Enjoy your armor, Tony."

With that final statement, she whirled on her heel and strode from the room.

I would have tried to stop her, but what was the point? She'd made her decision and I didn't think I'd be able to change her mind, anyway.

As I watched her vanish through the door, I felt my heart shatter and I knew it would take ages (days, weeks, months? I wasn't sure) to sweep up the millions of pieces. I'd messed up a lot in my life. There were too many times to count. Something was different this time though. This time I knew I'd fallen in too deep to get back out.

_"Mrs. Stark is packing her bags. It's not too late, sir."_

I wanted to punch J.A.R.V.I.S. and I would have had he been a real person instead of a machine.

"Ms. Potts," I corrected, voice dejected and face ashen. "And I don't think anything I can say will make this better."

I leaned against my desk and slowly slid to a seated position on the floor, my armor forgotten. I could only stare at the wall in a state of shock. How had everything turned so horrid in such a short time?

* * *

Well...one thing is for sure. My life just took a turn for the worse. I wouldn't be surprised if some of you have given up on me and put the book down. That's what I would be doing. I've always been something of a jerk I'll give you that, but never have things gone this wrong. I promise you one thing though. If you keep reading I swear I did everything I possibly could to set things straight.

So, in other words, please keep going. Don't leave me hanging. If there's one thing I excel at, it's fixing things. Besides. We're getting closer and closer to the battle scene. If that doesn't grab your attention, I don't know what will.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The house seemed stark (no pun intended) without Pepper around. That's what I noticed as I sat in our- my - room. The weather outside mimicked my mood. Rain poured down, battering the sliding glass doors that led to the balcony. Lightning flashed and thunder boomed, but the sound didn't cause me to flinch. I was too busy flipping through the electronic scrapbook Pepper had given me on our honeymoon. The time we'd shared together seemed so far away even though it had only been a little over a month. When I'd first received her gift, I'd faked delight and she had bought it. I had thought it was silly, but now I was relishing every picture.

That's how Genevieve found me as she came in, clutching her stuffed rabbit.

I tried to smile, but I knew it didn't reach my eyes. "Hey, kiddo. Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"The thunder is scary," she said quietly, peeking out at me from behind her mass of curls.

"Don't think of it as thunder," I offered. "Think of it as Loki playing the drums."

"Who's Loki?"

I faltered. What was I supposed to say? _He's your ghost. Oh, and he once tried to turn me into one of his personal flying monkeys. When that didn't work, he attempted to murder me by throwing me out a window from seventy stories up. And he either really _is _having a jam session in Asgard or he convinced his brother Thor, the god of thunder, to cause this storm to annoy me. _Yeah, right.

I finally settled with: "Never mind."

Thunder cracked again and Genevieve jumped, letting out a high-pitched shriek. Before I could protest (not that I would have), she rushed over and climbed into the bed with me, burying herself under the sheets.

After a few moments, she poked her head out of her hiding place and looked at me with concern in her teal eyes. "You were crying."

I started, swiping at my eyes with a hand only to find that it came back wet. I hadn't even realized.

Genevieve sat up and clambered into my lap before patting my cheek with a delicate hand. "It's okay, Daddy."

I don't know if it was her tenderness or the fact that she was only four and yet she was comforting me, but I felt myself tearing up again. Ugh. I hated emotional roller coasters.

She wrapped her thin arms around me, them being so short they didn't fully encircle my waist, and rested her head against my chest.

I rested my chin on top of her head and returned the embrace, smiling ever so slightly.

"Mommy still loves you."

The sudden declaration caught me by surprise and I leaned back, holding my daughter at arms length. "How do you know that?"

Genevieve shrugged nonchalantly. "When she was leaving. She was crying. I don't think she really wanted to go. She sat down and waited for a while, staring at the door. Then, she left."

My heart skipped a beat and, once again, that guilty feeling twisted inside me. Pepper had been waiting for me. She'd hesitated before leaving, probably thinking I'd come to try and apologize. How could I have been so stupid? My wife had, apparently, not lost faith in me until I'd been a jerk and not tried to chase after her.

I reached over to grab my phone while Genevieve looked at me with confusion. Pepper was, of course, on speed dial and I put the cell to my ear, silently pleading for her to pick up. Unfortunately, I got the answering machine.

_"You've reached Pepper Potts-"_

The recording paused as a barely audible voice corrected her. My voice.

She laughed and even though I knew it wasn't really her, I still felt my heart distort.

_"Right. You've reached Pepper _Stark_. I can't come to the phone right now so leave a message at the sound of the- Genevieve, don't touch that!"_  
The phone beeped and I opened my mouth to speak, but froze. What was I doing? I couldn't leave a message about how wrong I was. No, I needed to do this in person. I hung up and tossed the cell back onto the bedside table.

"What are you doing?" Genevieve asked, cocking her head.

A determined tone came into my voice. "Hey, Gen. How would you like to go to Manhattan?"

"Why? To see Mommy?"

A slow grin spread across my face. "You bet."

Genevieve giggled and clapped her hands with glee. "Now?"

I chuckled at her eagerness and shook my head. "I'm afraid not. It's a little too late to wake up the pilot of my jet. He gets cranky if he doesn't get enough sleep."

Her face fell. "Oh."

"Hey, none of that." I stroked my chin as I scrutinized her. "I know how to bring that smile back."

Genevieve's eyes widened as I began to tickle her, laughing evilly (but playfully) all the while.

She dissolved into a fit of giggles and fell out of my lap, rolling around on the bed. "Stop! Stop! I...can't breathe!" she panted, eyes squeezed shut as she laughed uncontrollably.

"What was that?" I asked, pausing to cup my hands around my ears. "You want me to keep going?"

"No!" Genevieve squealed, crawling to the edge of the bed before climbing down. "No!"

"Ah ah ah! You can't run from me," I teased.

She shrieked in delectation as I chased after her. My suffering over Pepper was temporarily forgotten as I dashed toward Genevieve, my long strides easily helping my catch up to her. I scooped her up and tossed her over my shoulder.

Genevieve laughed with delight, unable to form any words due to that.

"What, run out of things to say? It looks like the Tickle Man has prevailed once again."

"Put me down!" she insisted, still giggling.

"Well, if you say so," I relented. I'd made it to her room by then, so I threw her onto the bed.

She bounced from the impact, coming out of it grinning, of course. "That was fun! Do it again!"

"No can do, kiddo. Time for bed."

"Aw!"

I hated to be the bad guy, but if Genevieve and I were going to Manhattan tomorrow, we both needed our rest. "Come on. Lay down."

She obeyed reluctantly, curling up with her rabbit that, somehow, she'd managed to hold on to.

I tucked her in and bent over to kiss her on the forehead, not hesitating as I would have a couple weeks ago.

"Night, Gen."

"Goodnight, Daddy."

I left the room and paused outside my door. I'd suddenly gotten a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach like something was terribly wrong. Call it a hunch, but I made a quick detour and went down to my workshop. I wanted to finish the Anew armor. I felt like I would have need of it.

* * *

Some of you are probably wondering where this "feeling" is coming from. I'm not into the "hocus pocus" stuff like that, but I just knew something disastrous was going to happen. Luckily for me, since I'd been working on the Mark 43 for about two and a half months, I was able to finish it. Good thing, too, because I was going to need it.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

After telling Genevieve to be on her best behavior for the umpteenth time, I was finally able to lean back in my private jet's plush leather chairs to relax. As much as a man who's running an apology to his wife through his mind can relax, that is. I was so lost in my thoughts that I hadn't heard my cell ring until Genevieve's voice floated into hearing range.

"I'm Genevieve...He's my daddy...Do you want to talk to him?"

"Who is it, Gen?" I whispered, getting out of my chair to go over to her.

"He says his name is Bruce Banner," she said cheerily, holding the phone out to me.

I took the object from her and spent all of ten minutes explaining to a very confused Banner about my _adopted_ daughter and telling him we couldn't get together this afternoon. When I'd finished, I turned to Genevieve and scolded: "Next time? Don't answer the phone. Just give it to me."

She didn't seem fazed as she climbed into a chair and sat on the edge, swinging her legs since they didn't brush the ground.

"Are we there yet?" she asked, bouncing in anticipation.

"No. Now, sit still and be quiet. I need to think," I said testily. Normally, I wouldn't have snapped like that, but I'd gotten next to no sleep the night before from finishing the Anew armor.

Genevieve sighed loudly (no doubt trying to get my attention) as she skipped over to the counter that held refreshments. She grabbed the hard red and gold backpack off of it and gasped when it fell to the floor, too heavy for her to lift.

I leapt to my feet and strode over, picking it up with ease. "What are you doing? Don't touch my stuff."

"What is it?" she asked curiously, cocking her head and blinking her innocent teal eyes up at me.

I sighed as my resolve crumbled. I should have looked away. "You really want to know?"

Genevieve nodded energetically and clapped her hands. "Yes!"

"Right, then."

I slipped the backpack over my shoulders and made her take a few steps back. When she'd gotten a safe distance away, I rolled my shoulders and placed my feet apart, taking a deep breath. Letting it out slowly, I pressed a button on one of the straps. With a mechanical whirring sound, metallic strips of red and gold extended from the backpack, encircling my arms and legs. They straightened out to glove my hands and cover my feet. I reached up and pushed the button on the other strap. The sound of gears turning echoed as the chest plate emerged from the backpack, folding around my middle. The finishing touch was my helmet. I took off the now much smaller pack and pressed the last button. It bent itself in various places before resembling the headpiece. All of it took about five seconds.

I put on the helmet and held my arms out. "What do you think?"

Genevieve's eyes were wide as she stared up at me (or rather, Iron Man) with awe. "Wow! That's cool!"

I chuckled, almost sounding robotic due to my helmet. "You really think so?"

She nodded, beaming. "Can I try?"

"I'm afraid not, kiddo. I think it's a bit too big for you."

Genevieve pouted as I converted my armor back into a backpack, setting it on the counter once again.

Shawn, my pilot, said over the jet's speakers: "Next stop, New York. Buckle up, Starks."

I helped Genevieve into her seat before situating myself in mine. Now that I knew we were almost to Pepper, I started to feel nervous. What if she really did hate me? What if she didn't accept my apology? What if she didn't even let me _see _her?

As if reading my mind (maybe it was a girl thing), Genevieve reached over and patted my arm. "It's okay."

I sure hoped she was right.

* * *

I shaded my eyes to stare up the height of Stark Tower. I could barely see the top. It had never seemed intimidating before, but there was something about apologizing to my angry wife that made me nervous. I couldn't imagine what (for those of you dense enough to wonder why I was stupid to think that, it's a little thing called sarcasm. You may have heard of it).

"This ought to be good," I muttered to myself as I bent down to pick Genevieve up. I didn't want her to get trampled underneath all the employees.

The first person to greet me upon entering the building was my old bodyguard and chauffer, Happy Hogan.

"What are you doing here?" he asked me quietly, as if it was some big secret that he was talking to me.

"I need to see Pepper."

"She doesn't want-"

"Where is she?" I interrupted, shifting Genevieve into my other arm. She'd become awfully quiet, but I figured she was just tired from jet lag.

Happy sighed, seeing he wasn't going to be able to win. "Her office. Twenty-third floor."

"Great. Thanks."

I breezed past him and into the elevator, pressing the button to take me to the right floor.

"You okay, Gen?" I asked at last. She was usually a little bundle of energy.

"I'm scared," she answered, voice trembling.

"What? Why? No one here is going to hurt you," I reassured her, gently rubbing her back.

"I feel my ghost. He's here," she whispered, leaning back in my arms to look at me with pure terror in her gaze.

I frowned inwardly, careful not to let my apprehension show. Loki was here? How was that even possible? I thought Thor had taken him back to Asgard after the battle of New York. I tried to push it to the back of my mind. Maybe Genevieve was just seeing things.

The elevator dinged as it made it to the correct floor and I stepped out, looking right and then left. Okay? I'd kind of forgotten my way around the place. That's what happened when I appointed my secretary CEO of Stark Industries and then disappeared to let her do all the work.

I finally came to the conclusion that her office was to the left and set off in that direction. I peered through the glass windows at the end of the hall. Taking a deep breath, I put Genevieve down with orders to stay outside before going in myself.

Pepper was sitting at her desk, typing away on the computer. She didn't even look up at me. Man, she must have been really mad.

"Listen, Pep," I started before she could stop me. "You were right. I _am _a jerk and I came to apologize. I should have followed you after our fight, but I was stupid and didn't. What I'm trying to say is, I'm sorry. The truth is...I love you, honey. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me and I can't bear to lose you."

My speech finished, I let out a sigh that I'd been holding for days.

Pepper didn't reply, eyes still trained on the computer screen.

Frowning, I started over to her. "Pepper, I need you to-"

I broke off when I reached out to lay my hand on her shoulder. My arm went right through her and she vanished in a burst of blue light.

"What the-"

A desperate scream echoed from outside the room and I froze, fear coursing through my veins (which was definitely a new feeling for me. Tony Stark doesn't get scared. Most of the time).

"Genevieve!" I called frantically, whirling on my heel and dashing for the door, throwing it open.

My eyes darted to and fro across the reception area outside the office, scanning the place for my daughter, but it was too late. She was gone.

"Gen!" I yelled again, sprinting out of the room and down the fall, finding no sign of her.

I skidded to a halt in front of the elevator, breathing heavily form panic and exertion. My heart just about stopped beating as my mind fit the pieces of the puzzle together.

Genevieve being anxious about Loki. Pepper just being an illusion. Gen disappearing.

Loki had taken the two people I cared most about and he wasn't going to get away with it.

* * *

Well, I would go into my rambling I always fall into at the end of each chapter, but I doubt you want that. And personally, I'd rather get along with the story before I lose my train of thought. I tend to do that. Just ask anyone. So, without further ado, the next (and possibly final. I'll just have to see how this goes) chapter.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Come on," I muttered. "Where are you?"

I found myself digging through the piles of objects in my car, trying to find the pack that contained the Anew armor. Maybe I should have made it into a briefcase like the last time I created easily portable armor. I just figured a backpack would be less difficult to carry around.

"It looks like the Hulk and Thor had the world's most boxed in battle in here," I went on. Fortunately, no one was near enough to hear me talking to myself.

"What are you looking for?"

I jumped, startled, and whacked my head on the ceiling of the car. "Ow. What's your-" I froze when I turned and saw who it was, "-problem."

"My...problem," Loki contemplated. "Is, I don't know, you?"

"Listen, Reindeer Games," I began, laying on the sarcasm. "I'm not sure what your deal is, but no one messes with my family."

"I'm surprised you have a family, Anthony. They'd have to be a fool to put up with you."

"Where are they?" I demanded, stalling for time as I slowly reached a hand out behind me to grab the newly discovered Mark 43.

"Who?" Loki asked, seeming perfectly (more like revoltingly) innocent.

I looked over him, wondering why I was the only one witnessing all this. "Pepper and Genevieve."

"Ah, yes. Them. The lady Potts-"

"Stark," I corrected automatically.

"The lady _Stark _and your precious orphan are...put away...for the moment."

"I _said,_" I slipped the backpack over my shoulders and was holding a repulsor to Loki's face in seconds, "Where. _Are. _They."

"Now, Anthony. Is that a nice way to treat your honored guest?"

"Honored-"

Before my very eyes, Loki transformed himself into none other than Thor, one of my fellow Avengers. Oh, of course. _Now _people looked. I had no choice but to lower my hand.

"It's good to see you, Stark!" Thor (read: Loki) boomed, his voice bouncing across the courtyard. If not everyone was staring, they sure were now.

"Loki, so help me, if you've hurt them in any way I'll-"

"My, my. So adamant. Come! Let's take this somewhere more private, shall we?"

I reluctantly followed Loki inside, still wearing my armor. I could hear people whispering about us.

"Aren't they Thor and Iron Man?"

"I heard Thor went ten rounds of hardcore battling with Iron Man."

"Oh, yeah? Well, _I _heard Captain America barely stopped them before they killed each other."

I rolled my eyes underneath my mask and was tempted to tell them to shut up, but we'd already gotten into the elevator.

It wasn't until we got to Pepper's office (no one contradicted us, by the way) that I slammed Loki against the wall (I'd made sure to shut the blinds first. I'm not an idiot).

"You'd better release Pepper and Gen _right now_ before I blast your face to kingdom come. I don't care if it looks like Thor's."

Loki had the nerve to chuckle as he disengaged the illusion to become himself once again. "If I didn't know any better, Anthony, I'd think you were the Hulk."

I wanted to tell him to stop calling me that, but I knew it would only make things worse. Instead, I did something I doubted he was expecting. I kept my mouth shut and let him go, taking a step back.

Loki arched an immaculately groomed eyebrow. "What's the matter? Bilge Snipe got your tongue?"

I didn't know what that was and I didn't exactly _care. _My strategy was to pressure old RG into giving up the juicy piece of information involving the girls' whereabouts.

As it turned out, that wasn't going to be necessary. Out of nowhere, Loki smiled in that diabolical way of his and disappeared in a puff of blue smoke.

"J.A.R.V.I.S?" I bit out tensely. "What just happened?"

_"I believe he just teleported to the weapons development level of the Stark Tower, sir."_

"Why would he go there? None of this tech seems like Loki's speed."

_"Might I remind you that you keep his scepter from the battle of New York there."_

My heart skipped a beat and I launched into action almost unconsciously as I activated my thrusters to hover in the air. I needed to get down there as soon as possible. There were dozens of workers on that floor and I knew Loki wouldn't hesitate to destroy them if need be.

Stark employees cried out as they dove out of the way. I carelessly flew at top speed down the hall, not fully paying attention to those around me. Don't worry, though. I wasn't about to actually _hit _anyone.

An idea crossed my mind and I immediately felt stupid for not thinking of it earlier. "J.A.R.V.I.S, can you try to locate Pepper and Genevieve?"

_"I've been attempting to attain their destination, sir. I can't seem to pick up anything."_

I swore under my breath as I burst into the weapons development lab. Various workers laid on the ground. I couldn't tell if they were dead or just unconscious. Hopefully the latter. A quick scan of the room proved that Loki was nowhere to be seen.

_"Sir, a large excess of power just appeared on the roof."_

"Loki."

Fast as lightning, I shattered the glass of a window and flew out, heading up to the roof. I didn't know what I was prepared to see, but I wanted it to be the girls.

Sure enough, that was the sight that greeted me. At the far side of the roof, Pepper was cradling an obviously petrified Genevieve in her arms from where she sat underneath a blue dome. Wonderful. A force field. My wife shot me a look of pure terror and my heart twisted with dismay. She wasn't staring at me.

I barely ducked in time to avoid a swipe from Loki's scepter. I knew then that he wasn't refraining from killing me.

"Why are you doing this?" I questioned, hovering into the air to make it harder for him to hit me.

"Simple," Loki returned, firing at me with his staff. "If it weren't for you, the Chitauri and I would be ruling Earth right now."

"Oh, you're ticked about the nuclear missile I took into the portal," I mused, charging up a repulsor before taking aim. "You've got ten seconds to explain to me why you've been haunting my daughter."

"Haunting?" Loki scoffed. "I would say I've been keeping the girl company."

I snorted, the equivalent of unamused laughter. "Why?"

"As a way to get back at you, Anthony. I've been observing you for quite some time. I knew the lady Potts was going to choose that specific orphanage weeks before she was planning on suggesting the idea to you. She talks to herself, you know."

I couldn't see Pepper because my back was turned to her, but I knew she was glaring daggers at Reindeer Games.

"So, all of this was just to get revenge against me? Obsessed much?"

Loki didn't seem bothered by my gibe. "Well, yes."

"You'd better let them go before I do it myself," I threatened.

"You don't know? My scepter is the only thing that can free the prisoners."

I glanced over my shoulder at the girls which turned out to be a mistake. The dome was soundproof from the outside, but I could tell Pepper was yelling: "Tony, watch out!"

Too late. Loki zapped my back and sent me careening forward into the force field. I just bounced right off. Unfortunately, I didn't land on my feet.

Loki raised his spear as he stepped over me, planning on plunging it into my power source (a.k.a. the ARC reactor core I still used even though I'd removed it from my chest). Before he could, however, I powered up my thrusters and shot out from under him.

"You and Thor both fell for that," I taunted, on my feet once again.

"Are you quite sure about that?" Loki asked, smiling slightly.

My eyebrows knit together in confusion as I hesitated. Of course I was sure. What kind of a question was that?

A distracting one, apparently. While I had paused, he had come for me again, this time lodging his staff into the reactor. That instantly shut my armor down and I came tumbling out. From the look in Loki's eyes, he thought he had won. Little did he know, I had a few more tricks up my sleeve.

When he charged at me, I flipped into a backward handspring, courtesy of Captain America's training sessions that he'd insisted on giving me a few weeks ago.

Now, Loki looked frustrated and I smirked. Served him right for thinking he'd had me defeated.

As he tried to strike me, I bobbed under his scepter, coming up on the other side before punching his face.

The momentum forced his head to the side, but he whipped it back around, more annoyed than hurt. "I beat the Soldier when he used these moves. What makes you any different?"

"The awesome factor," I answered snarkily, bending down and swinging a leg at Loki, knocking his feet out from under him.

While he was down, I tried to take the staff from him. That ended up being a bad call. He shoved it forward, the sharp end pointed at me. It tore a long gash up my left arm that instantly began pouring blood. I hissed through clenched teeth, staggering back, dazed by the pain.

The next thing I knew, Loki had me in a death grip, one of his unreasonably strong hands girding my throat. I felt the air leaving my lungs since I couldn't draw a proper breath. As black spots swarmed my vision, I thought that this was the end. What a way to die. At least I'd put up a good fight.

When I shot one last glance at Pepper and Genevieve, I saw how horrified they were. They both were screaming at me, but I couldn't make out what they were trying to tell me. I could see what Pepper was saying, though, as tears streamed down her cheeks.

The same words over and over were: "I love you."

Suddenly, I felt strength surge through my muscles and my eyes narrowed. Pepper needed me and that was enough to encourage my actions.

Loki's eyes actually widened as I lifted my legs and kicked him squarely in the chest. His grip slackened and I slipped out of his hand. I launched into a flurry of kicks, jabs, ducks, and jumps, recalling Cap's lessons as if he'd taught me yesterday.

Loki, taken off guard, was having a hard time fighting back and that was just fine with me. He kept backing up with every hit and he finally balanced precariously on the edge of the building. I stopped before I pushed him off.

"Surrender?" I asked, breathing heavily.

"Never."

Loki reached for me and I had to make the tough decision. I shook my head once and kicked him one last time, knocking him off the building.

* * *

I know what you're thinking. Tony, how could you have killed him? Self defense! Besides, it's kind of disappointing. I would expect you to be ecstatic about how I just beat up a freaking _god._

Oh, wipe that murderous glare off your face. Of course Loki survived. How is that possible? Why don't you read more to find out (okay, so this wasn't the last chapter. I told you I'd have to wait and see how this one went).


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

I peeked over the edge of Stark Tower, knowing I was culpable. Don't get me wrong! I didn't actually _like _Loki, but I wasn't fond of the idea of killing him. I never had been when it came to the villains I face. Fortunately for him, there was a crack of thunder and Thor came flying in, catching him before he became a pile of broken bones on the ground.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I took a few steps back as Thor came and landed in front of me.

"Hey, Point Break. Long time no see."

Thor smiled in that subtle way of his. "I see you have been, what do you mortals say, _hanging out _with my brother."

Loki shot me a glare. Man, if looks could kill...

"Looks like it, huh? He needs medical attention, by the way. His pride is probably damaged pretty bad."

"Indeed. You fought well, Stark. Asgard will speak of this day."

My eyebrows shot up. Okay, I had to admit that it was cool to know stories would be told about me. Snapping out of my reverie, I bent down to pick up Loki's scepter.

"Do me a favor, Goldilocks? After I use the glowstick of destiny to free the girls, take it back to Asgard, would you?"

Thor merely nodded as I headed over to the dome still sheltering Pepper and Genevieve. They looked hopeful when I shoved the tip of the spear into the force field. It blinked out and I tossed the weapon to Thor who caught it handily.

"We will see each other again, Stark. Farewell for now."

I offered a two-fingered salute with a slight smirk as Thor flew away, Loki in tow.

Genevieve broke the sudden silence by running to me and jumping into my open arms. I scooped her up and twirled her around, grinning as she giggled. With a glance at my arm, she frowned. "Daddy, you're bleeding."

"That's nothing, kiddo. Just a scratch."

I set her down and turned to Pepper, knowing doubt was clear in my expression. "I'm so sorry, Pep. About everything. You're the best thing that ever happened to me and I didn't mean to-"

She cut me off, moving forward and cupping my face in her hands, affection shining in her eyes. "I know, Tony. I know. It's okay."

I let out a sound that was something like a choked sob and I let my head drop to rest my brow against her shoulder.

She ran a gentle hand through my hair, soothing me with her soft, angelic voice. "It'll be okay, sweetheart. Everything's going to be fine now. I won't leave you again."

"Good," I returned, voice somewhat muffled. "Because those were the most awful two weeks of my life."

"Mine, too."

I straightened to see tears shimmering in her beautiful cerulean blue eyes. I'd missed those eyes so much. I couldn't tell if they were tears of joy or sadness or...give me a break. I was bad with feelings.

"What's wrong?"

"Tony, I...I thought you were going to...die," Pepper struggled to say, as if the very words pained her.

"Hey," I said gently, brushing away one of her tears. "It's okay. I'm still alive."

She clasped my hand in hers like if she let go I would disappear. "But Loki was about to-"

"Shhh," I interrupted with a comforting squeeze of her hand. "Relax. He didn't."

Pepper's legs gave out and she leaned against me, sobbing into my shoulder. I held her close, stroking her hair. It was my turn to soothe her. It felt good, unbelievably good, to have her with me again.

I felt a tug on the bottom of my shirt and looked down to see Genevieve holding up her arms. "I want a hug, too!"

Pepper (now calm) and I laughed before I picked the girl up, keeping one arm around my wife. My family was together again and I was happier than I had originally thought possible. I couldn't help but think, however, that if Hawkeye and/or Black Widow were here, they'd be dying of laughter. I could almost hear them mocking me. They weren't here, though, and even if they were, I wouldn't pay them any mind. Pepper and Genevieve were more important.

Gen pulled me out of my thoughts. "Daddy? Can we go home?"

"Not before we get Daddy's...scratch...taken care of," Pepper said before I could answer.

"Works for me," I admitted. My arm hurt like heck, anyway.

* * *

One hour and half a dozen bandages later, my family and I were back at the mansion. Pepper had insisted that Genevieve should go to bed, so that's where they were when I flicked on the lights in my workshop. I looked around at the mess I had left. I hadn't had time to clean up after finishing the Anew armor.

I stepped around the wreckage and tossed the damaged backpack containing the Mark 43 onto the table. I was about to leave when Pepper stopped me from where she stood in the doorway.

"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded, putting her hands on her hips.

I arched an eyebrow in curiosity. "Scrapping the Anew armor. I thought you didn't want me building suits."

"Tony, I thought that _before, _but now? I realize that you _do _need Iron Man. Without him, you would definitely be dead right now."

"But-"

"No. Hear me out." Pepper took a deep breath and let it out slowly before continuing. "I was wrong about Iron Man. You don't care about him more than you do about me. Your battle with Loki today proved that and I'm sorry I got so mad."

"It's not your fault, Pep," I answered with a firm shake of my head. "I'm the one that didn't tell you about the Mark 43."

She smiled knowingly. "Tell you what. We can put this behind us if you promise me one thing."

"Name it."

"Don't lie or keep secrets from me again. Deal?"

I winked at her. "I think I can handle that."

"Oh, and there's another thing you have to do for me," she went on.

"What?" I asked suspiciously.

"Kiss me."

"Now, _that _I can do."


	11. Epilogue

**Sorry about all the updating I was doing. This is my first time submitting a story and I wasn't entirely sure what to do.**

**Anyway. Final chapter! I hope you liked it.**

Epilogue

So, I have some bad (more annoying, really) news. Pepper told me I couldn't call my book _Insert Title Here. _Then, I told her to try and come up with something. She said I could do it if I just put my mind to it. I'll get back to you on that, okay?

To sum this all up, I got married, adopted a child, had my whole world fall apart, and managed to piece it back together. I _am _Tony Stark, after all. Fixing things is my specialty. Did I already say that earlier? I did? Oh. Well, I guess this just makes it twice as true.

Iron Man saved the day, blah blah blah. That wasn't the point of this story. The point was to show you a bit about what goes through my mind and some of the things I experience. Some people have dubbed me as a narcissistic, volatile jerk who doesn't play well with others. I get that. I completely agree with them, but even _I'm _not like that 24/7. As you can now tell, I can be a big softie when I want to be. Astonishing, I know, but I don't want to change who I am.

I am Iron Man. But I'm also Tony Stark. I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm just another regular guy (a really smart guy, but you get my drift) who has a family and will do anything to protect them.

Oh, I've got it! I know what to title this thing. What do you think of _Starting Anew? _Sure, it's a spin off of my armor, but it also symbolizes my new life after finding Genevieve Charlotte and making up with Pepper. I think I'll stick with that.

Well? Thanks for taking the time to read about me, your everyday genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist. I hope you enjoyed yourself.

I would go into the story about how Genevieve grew up and became an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D, but that's another tale altogether. Later! And may the Force be with you. Wait, that's for something else. Never mind. See you around, I guess. Tony Stark out.


End file.
